NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Saint Joseph's redshirt senior
Ryan Daly was named to the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Second Team, and the Hawks were picked to finish 12th in the A-10, conference officials announced on Tuesday in conjunction with its first-ever virtual Media Days. The awards and preseason poll were chosen by a panel of the league's head coaches and select media members.
Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll & Awards
Starting 30 games in 2019-20, Daly led the Atlantic 10 in scoring, and finished 21st nationally at 20.6 points per game. Averaging a team-best 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest, the A-10 All-Conference Third Team selection capped the year with 619 points, the eighth most in a single-season in Saint Joseph's history, while his 128 assists tied for 29th most alongside Luke Griffin (1977-78). Daly also became just the 14th Hawk since 1941-42 to average 20 or more points per game as his 20.6 ppg were the highest by a Hawk since Jameer Nelson's 20.6 ppg in 2003-04.
As a team, the Hawks were predicted to finish 12th in the conference race as they garnered 85 points in the A-10 Preseason Poll to slot. Saint Joseph's, which led the A-10 in three-pointers made a season ago (287), returns its top five scorers from a 2019-20.
Richmond was selected as A-10 favorite in the league's 2020-21preseason poll as it received 19 first-place votes and a total of 380 points. Saint Louis was picked second (364 points), while defending regular season champion Dayton was picked third (318 points)
St. Bonaventure garnered 307 poll points to rank fourth, and was followed by Duquesne in fifth (278 points). Rhode Island was sixth with 246 points and Davidson was chosen seventh with 229 points in the voting. Massachusetts (192 points), VCU (175 points) and George Mason (133 points) finished eighth, ninth and 10
th in the poll, while George Washington, Saint Joseph's La Salle and Fordham rounded out the preseason rankings, respectively.
The 2020-21 men's basketball season tips off on Wednesday, November 25. The season is scheduled to culminate with the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The league's premier event will begin Wednesday, March 10, and the league will crown its 2020 champion on March 14, Selection Sunday.
PRESEASON POLL
| 1. |
Richmond (19) |
380 |
| 2. |
Saint Louis (7) |
364 |
| 3. |
Dayton (2) |
318 |
| 4. |
St. Bonaventure |
307 |
| 5. |
Duquesne |
278 |
| 6. |
Rhode Island |
246 |
| 7. |
Davidson |
229 |
| 8. |
Massachusetts |
192 |
| 9. |
VCU |
175 |
| 10. |
George Mason |
133 |
| 11. |
George Washington |
113 |
| 12. |
Saint Joseph's |
85 |
| 13. |
La Salle |
80 |
| 14. |
Fordham |
40 |
